Reports are coming in that Hulu, one of the internet’s most popular streaming tv websites are tentatively dipping their tv toe in the pay-to-view waters by charging $5 per month subscription charge to view old TV episodes and movies  the LA Times reports.

Whilst seemingly a mad idea to charge users not for premium streams but older episodes, looking at the plan closer it kind of makes sense. The idea under consideration would allow users to view the five most recent episodes of TV shows free but would require a subscription of $4.99 a month to watch older episodes. Hulu believes it will need at least 20 TV series — both current ones and those no longer on the air — to make such a pay service attractive to users. A firm pricing model could emerge within six months, the sources said.

Hulu has been thinking about a pay model for months now. In September, Chase Carey, CO at News Corp., said Hulu would have to charge for access to some parts of its business.

Following up on his comments, Carey said in November “Hulu will always have its core which is free, but we have to develop a dual revenue stream.” Advertising revenue alone isn’t going to support the site.

Many are pointing to the recent Hulu purchase by US cable giant Comcast as the beginning of the end of Hulu’s free tv status. However, the company has publicly denied plans for a subscription model for Hulu.

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